Laverne Cox’s Criticism of North Carolina’s HB2 Bill Was Cut From Megyn Kelly Special

It was probably the most newsworthy part of the interview.

On Wednesday night, Megyn Kelly sat down with Orange Is The
New Black actress Laverne Cox as part of her hour-long Fox special, Megyn Kelly
Presents. During the interview, Kelly spoke to Cox about everything from her new
role in the cult classic,The Rocky Horror Picture Show, to Doubt, which
will make her the first transgender actress to star in a prime-time broadcast
series, to her childhood struggles. But what folks didn't understand, is why Cox didn't use this platform as an opportunity to talk about
current anti-trans issues.

Online critiques complained how the interview made no
mention of North Carolina’s controversial and unconstitutional House Bill 2
also known as the “Bathroom Bill,” which prohibits transgender individuals to use the public bathroom that corresponds with the sex they identify with. But according to Cox, they did
talk about the bill. That part just wasn’t aired.

Now, why would something as important and significant as the
House Bill 2 not make it on air? Some believe it was probably cut due to Kelly’s
predominately conservative audience.

“Megyn Kelly’s interview with Laverne Cox will likely be
touted as evidence of Kelly’s ability to buck her network’s conservative slant,
especially when it comes to transgender issues,” Media Matter’s LGBT Program
Director, Erin Fitzgerald wrote:

“But beyond her Cox interview, Kelly has
consistently misgendered trans people, spouted anti-trans rhetoric and used her
show to repeatedly elevate hate group leader Tony Perkins, one of the most
extreme anti-LGBT voices in the country, lending him mainstream credibility
even as he peddles harmful smears against LGBT people.”

Kelly appears to be taking a more sympathetic stance these days when
it comes to transgender issues. She questioned North Carolina Governor Pat
McCrory in March on his controversial House Bill 2. When McCrory failed to give a substantial reasons for passing
the law, Kelly hit him back with this:

“If you could get back to my question . . . the public restrooms . . . the question that many have is what is your fear because you know, there is a
misconception that transgenders are somehow molesters and they’re not. That’s
not true. Typically, male molesters are heterosexual and if they want to sneak
into a bathroom they’ll do it. But in 90 percent of the cases molestation happens
with someone you know. So what is the fear about the transgender situation in
the bathrooms?”

Kelly might be taking a much more progressive political
approach these days, that doesn’t mean her conservative Fox News audience agrees, which might be why
she didn’t have the part about House Bill 2 air. Whether it was her decision or
the network's, it’s unfortunate that such an important — if not the most important — part of the interview wasn’t aired.